Stars
by Olivia Conroy
Summary: Ginny gets a new friend, she didn't know how important this friend would become during lonely days at Grimmauld Place
1. One

On a sunny day of August, the eleventh to be exact, a pack of witches and wizards found themselves at number twelve Grimmauld Place. It was the youngest Weasley's seventeenth birthday. At the current moment only a few of the girl's family and closest friends were huddled around the dining room table, but none seemed to notice her absence. They were all too busy talking about the arrival that was to take place soon. Soon the conversation drifted to the absence of three people that were not in attendance at the house.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were off searching for the Horcruxes. Everyone had rather hoped they would be back by this time, for they had been gone a good two months, but as the tenth of the month had drawn to a close everyone knew they would not be back in time for Ginny's party. Ginny had at least hoped for a letter. The three had taken the habit of writing a letter when a horcrux was destroyed. The letters would be tied to the leg of a pigeon, a lot less conspicuous than an owl, and would be brief. The last letter simply said in Hermione's clean handwriting _"We got another"._ As with most secret missions no one knew where they were and the letters were much revered.

Just as the members of the Order started speculating n the location of the three a sharp knock came at the door. No one moved they all stared at the door waiting for the tell tale rhythm that was expected from the Order. They all let out a breath as they heard a soft _tap…tap tap tap...tap. _Slowly Arthur Weasley stood from the table and walked to the front door.

"Ah…Dedalus, I see you got Mister Zabini here safely"

Meanwhile the birthday girl was huddled on her hands and knees in the garden. Her long auburn hair was pulled into a bun as the sun beat steadily down on her back. A few drops of sweat were dripping down her back and nestled themselves into the top of her shirt. Ginny was pulling the weeds out one by one. If one paid close enough attention to the girl they would notice her nonsensical mutterings and her aggressiveness with the weeds. One person who did not fail to notice though, was Blaise Zabini, who unbeknownst to her entered the garden after being kicked out of the house by the adults. He had walked out just in time to see her slam a particularly ugly yellow and magenta weed to the ground and say something along the lines of "stupid pricks".

"Well now, I'm pretty sure that weed hadn't done anything to you." Blaise said in his suave voice. Ginny turned around sharply and glanced at the boy in front of her.

"I had forgotten you were coming today, Zabini." She said with a sigh and went back to her gardening.

"Yes, well, I rather wish I had as well. Why, may I ask, are you abusing the weeds?"

She glanced at him then ignoring his question went back to weeding and ignored his presence even as he sat down beside her and started vanishing the weeds away one by one. After about three minutes of silence Ginny turned to him furiously.

"It's my birthday and not even a letter from them. Not one. They sent a letter on my mum's birthday. They sent one on Lupin's and here I am…my seventeenth birthday and nothing. Not one thing." She was panting at the end of her tirade and she was looking at him expectantly.

"So you decided to curse out the weeds?" Blaise said slowly. Ginny looked at him unbelievingly then stood up and vanished the rest of the weeds herself. She gave him one last look then went inside to take a shower.

Blaise just sat there looking at the door Ginny has just walked through and sighed. He decided to go find out if there was anything to eat in the house.

--&

At eight o' clock Grimmauld Place was filled with people. A hundred familiar faces all smiling and having fun. Everyone was enjoying Molly Weasley's cooking. The chinking of forks n the plates or clanking of glasses against one another could be heard resounding all around the house. Not for the first time that day, no one noticed the absence of one girl. No one, that is except for the new comer to the group.

He walked all around the house to find her and finally he found her once more in the garden. This time though she was merely sitting looking at the stars rather than pulling the weeds from the ground. He just stood in the door way looking at her for a bit until she turned and looked at him. She regarded him for a moment nodded him over to her. He pushed himself from the frame and walked over to her and plopped as elegantly as he could to the ground.

"I hate stars." She whispered softly to him. "They're for the people who dream and don't notice what's right in front of them. The reality of life."

Blaise glanced up and realized he really had nothing to say about the subject so he turned to her. "I'm sure they had a reason for not sending a letter. Maybe the owl got lost or something."

Ginny scoffed without looking at him but as soon as she opened her mouth there was uproar from inside the house. The two teenagers glanced at each other before darting inside the house.

In the main entrance there was a group applauding and talking all at once. Ginny pushed her way to the front of the group and what she saw shocked her. Although covered in mud and dirt it was unmistakable who these people were. Harry, Hermione and Ron had returned home.


	2. Two

The group around the three was talking. The noise was deafening, but Ginny wasn't hearing any of it. All she noticed were the three people standing in front of her. They had made it after all. Ginny's mouth was hanging open and she heard a deep voice say "Now Gin, you ought to close your mouth. Unless, of course, you're aiming to catch some flies." Ginny snapped her mouth shut and squealed. She ran up to Ron and threw her arms around his broad shoulders.

"You made it." She whispered into his ear.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world." He whispered back. They let go of each other. She turned to Hermione next to her and smiled. Hermione hugged Ginny and wished her a happy birthday. After Hermione let go she slowly turned to Harry. Harry had a streak of mud going across his face making his eyes appear even greener.

He looked at her and snuck his hand into his pocket. She just stared at him neither one saying a word. She was captivated. After two longs months without them, it was so refreshing to see those eyes, to know that he was alive. Suddenly something hard was placed in her hand. Looking down she noticed it was a rectangular box with smooth corners wrapped in an emerald green paper.

"Open it later. Happy Birthday." He said and turned to Kingsley Shacklebolt and started talking about their adventures. She slipped the gift into her pocket and turned to talk to Tonks who had just arrived.

All throughout the conversation all she could think about was the box nestled in her pocket. Suddenly she couldn't handle the anticipation. She excused herself then hurried up the steps and into her room. She barged through the door and leapt on to the bed. She tore at the paper like a rabid animal and whipped open the lid. What she saw made her lose her breath.

In the box was a necklace. When she held it up she saw a golden phoenix with sapphire eyes. She just stared at it taking in the beauty. She looked down at the box again and noticed a little note. Gently placing the necklace on the bed she read the note.

_Ginny,_

_I saw this in Rome and thought you would love it. Meet me tonight at eleven in the gardens._

_Love always,_

_Harry_

Ginny didn't know what to do with herself. She lifted the necklace up and admired it once more. Just then a voice came from the doorway.

"That's quite a gift." Blaise said.

"You're always around Zabini."

"Well I'm not much of a partier, especially with people I don't know that well so I was heading to my room when I had the pleasure to notice you gawking at the gift Potter got you." He said looking as nonchalant as possible. He walked over to the bed and picked up the necklace. She stood up and lifted her hair for him. He latched the necklace from another man onto her neck. He let his hands graze her collar bone. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smirked at her.

"Happy Birthday." And with that he walked away. Ginny stared after the door confused. Shrugging her shoulders she shifted her thoughts to the meeting she would be having with Harry later that night.

--&

At eleven fifty five Ginny was slowly creeping down the steps of Grimmauld Place. The ecklace fastened safely around her neck. She was careful not to step on any creaky spots for fear of awakening the portrait of Walburga Black. She was pretty sure sneaking out to meet Harry in the gardens would not be allowed. She ended up outside at 12:01 according to the watch her father had given her. Looking around she noticed Harry wasn't anywhere so she sat in the middle of the garden where she and Blaise sat earlier. She sat there and decided to look up at the stars. She really did hate them. Only people who lived in their fantasies loved the stars. They were for the people who made wishes at 11:11 and gazed at the sky waiting for a shooting star.

She heard a rustle next to her. Alarmed she turned her head in the direction and started to stand. Just then Harry popped out of the bushes. He brushed himself off and turned to look at her. He was cleaned now and just as beautiful as ever. He walked over to her and cracked a slight smile. Ginny looked at him and couldn't stop. When he was about half a foot in front of her he held his hand out. She looked down at it and when he gave an impatient little wave she placed her dainty hand in his larger one. He led her away into the direction he had just come from. She held tightly on to his hand knowing this was definitely against the rules. Then again, when did Ginny Weasley ever listen to the rules?

After a minute or so they were in a circular court area. All around were roses of

all colors. Ginny was amazed. She loved gardening and never had she noticed this place. Harry walked over to a bush and came back with a green rose, her favorite color. He pulled off the thorns and placed it in her hair. He looked down and noticed the necklace hanging there. A small smiled graced his face.

"Ginny, be my girlfriend." He said softly. She giggled and looked at him.

"Of course." She whispered back. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

A million thoughts and wishes ran through her mind.

_I wish things could stay like this forever._ She didn't notice the shooting star above their heads, or someone watching from the bushes.

A/N I know this is sounding Harry Ginnyish but it really isn't so calm down.


End file.
